Lady Luck by Kristen Ashley ~ Review

Source:  Gift from Jess

Is love in the cards?

Since birth, Lexie Berry has had nothing but bad luck. Orphaned at an early age, she had a rough childhood and a boyfriend who was murdered. Now the beautiful, stylish Lexie is determined to change her luck and her life. But first she's got to make good on a promise: to pick up Ty Walker from prison. One look at the gorgeous ex-convict and Lexie knows she's in trouble-and already thinking about taking a walk on the wild side . . .

For five years, Ty was imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit. Now he wants revenge on the people who framed him. Yet when the high-stakes poker player sees the leggy Lexie, he suddenly has other desires on his mind. Realizing that Ty is innocent, Lexie tries to stop his plan for vengeance and help him become a better man. But as Ty battles his inner demons, dirty cops and criminals plot to take him out. Can he and Lexie find a way to escape the past?

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I'm reading this series out of order but this book is my co-bloggers favorite so I started here.

This is only the second book I've read by this author.  She likes long books and I've decided each book is like a series.  Not just the length but the complexity of the book that makes me feel this way.  The story is not just the development of a relationship with all of it's ups and downs but the beginning of a life between two people.  It's more than the falling in love part too.  There's trust and healing that need to be pursed.  There's choices and reactions to those choices that need to be figured out.  It's complex and it takes all those pages to explore.

These characters are rich and complex.  I was impressed with the way the author crafted characters that could walk right off the page.  They are real.  They have backgrounds and issues.  They have pain in their lives.  Some in their past, some in their present.  Some have healed and some are healing.  Others have a ways to go.  And they all depend on each other.  It's a close knit community.  Well except for the...yeah not telling you that.  But they, too, are incredibly real,  Definitely had me interested in their lives and flipping pages.

Like a community, this book has lots of parts.  There is the sexy part, the what the heck part, the oh you did not just do that part, and the happy part.  One whole chapter and a half was totally brutal!  I wanted to knock some sense into the heads of a few peeps.  Then there were the times when I was scared for the characters.  Worried for them and hoping someone would figure out what was going on and help.  It's a complex story that I thoroughly enjoyed.  And this is exactly why this single book had the feel of a series.  There were more up and downs than most books.  It has an ebb and flow to it.  Reminds me of real life.  And it was awesome.

Of course, I must talk about our couple Ty and Lexie.  I adore Ty.  He's bada$$ and tender.  NOT at the same time.  Never at the same time.  But he has an honor about him that I just fell for.  Yeah, she picks him up after his five years in prison but don't be fooled.  Ty isn't perfect but he is no way a criminal.  And he sees the goofy side of Lexie as endearing.  It's what draws him in.  Together, they are perfection.

And Lexie is goofy.  Sweet.  But she's got a past.  One that haunts her still.  If she could just get away from it.  And that's where Ty comes in.  He's a protector.  Love that about him.  But Lexie is strong and determined.  Maybe a tad too determined.  Remember that brutal chapter, yeah well.  Just read it.

I took entirely too long to find this book, this series.  I'm diving right into another book in this series.  If you haven't discovered yet, you should.  It's a great read.